Overview
Background
My research interests centre on using quantitative genetics to drive genetic gain and efficiency in plant and animal breeding programmes.
Previous work in the UK focused on using genomic information prediction to demonstrate and exploit synergies between plant and animal breeding. Stochastic simulations were used to quantify the impact of new genomic breeding strategies in a wide variety of settings; from low to middle-income (LMIC) dairy cattle breeding programs to large, well-funded maize breeding programs.
My work at QAAFI and the ARC Centre of Excellence for Plant Success in Nature & Agriculture focuses on the development of prediction methods that combine biological, environmental and management information under a unifying framework, to enhance our ability to identify breeding parents, varieties and genotype-by-agronomic management (GxM) solutions that are best suited for future climates.
Availability
- Dr Owen Powell is:
- Available for supervision
- Media expert
Qualifications
- Bachelor (Honours) of Development Biology, University of Edinburgh
- Masters (Research) of Science, University of Edinburgh
- Doctor of Philosophy, University of Edinburgh
Research impacts
Dr Powell helps public and private genetic improvement programs to find better ways to predict the outcomes of selective breeding.
His core work focuses on developing, applying and optimising prediction methods to accelerate rates of sustainable genetic improvement.
Dr Powell is involved in the research and HDR student supervision on projects that span plant, animal and aquaculture species.
Works
Search Professor Owen Powell’s works on UQ eSpace
2022
Other Outputs
Extending the breeder’s equation to take aim at the Target Population of Environments
Cooper, Mark, Owen Powell, Gho, Carla, Tang, Tom and Messina, Carlos (2022). Extending the breeder’s equation to take aim at the Target Population of Environments.
2022
Conference Publication
Integrating Hierarchical G2P Maps with Genomic Prediction
Powell, Owen, McLean, Greg, Brider, Jason, Technow, Frank, Tang, Tom, Messina, Carlos D., Hammer, Graeme and Cooper, Mark (2022). Integrating Hierarchical G2P Maps with Genomic Prediction. Interdrought VII - The 7th Congress on plant production in water-limited environments, Dakar, Senegal, 1 December 2022.
2022
Conference Publication
Utilising prior knowledge to improve breeding
Powell, Owen, Barbier, Francois, Voss-Fels, Kai, Beveridge, Christine and Cooper, Mark (2022). Utilising prior knowledge to improve breeding. GxExM Symposium, Brisbane, QLD Australia, 3-4 November 2022.
2022
Conference Publication
Transferring prediction models: from model organisms to crops
Powell, Owen, Barbier, Francois, Fichtner, Franziska, Sukumaran, Sivakumar, McLean, Greg, Brider, Jason, Technow, Frank, Tang, Tom, Messina, Carlos D., Jordan, David, Hammer, Graeme, Beveridge, Christine and Cooper, Mark (2022). Transferring prediction models: from model organisms to crops. TropAg International Agriculture Conference, Brisbane, QLD, Australia, 31 October - 2 November 2022.
2022
Conference Publication
Increasing Predictive Ability for Crop Improvement: Linking Crop Growth Models with Whole Genome Prediction
Powell, Owen, McLean, Greg, Brider, Jason, Technow, Frank, Sukumaran, Sivakumar, Jordan, David, Hammer, Graeme and Cooper, Mark (2022). Increasing Predictive Ability for Crop Improvement: Linking Crop Growth Models with Whole Genome Prediction. AuSoRGM, Toowoomba, QLD Australia, 18-19 August 2022.
2022
Conference Publication
ON the Pulse
Smith, Millicent, Robinson, Hannah and Powell, Owen (2022). ON the Pulse. Protein Futures, Brisbane, QLD, Australia, 15 June 2022.
2022
Conference Publication
An Ecophysiology-Inspired Gene-Phenotype Map for Breeding
Powell, Owen, Technow, Frank, Messina, Carlos D., McLean, Greg, Brider, Jason, Van Oosterom, Erik, Wu, Alex, Jordan, David, Hammer, Graeme and Cooper, Mark (2022). An Ecophysiology-Inspired Gene-Phenotype Map for Breeding. Australasian Plant Breeding Conference, Gold Coast, QLD, Australia, 9-11 May 2022.
2022
Other Outputs
Investigations into the emergent properties of gene-to-phenotype networks across cycles of selection: a case study of shoot branching in plants
Powell, Owen M., Barbier, Francois, Voss-Fels, Kai P., Beveridge, Christine A. and Cooper, Mark (2022). Investigations into the emergent properties of gene-to-phenotype networks across cycles of selection: a case study of shoot branching in plants. doi: 10.1101/2022.02.03.479064
2022
Journal Article
Crop improvement for circular bioeconomy systems
Messina, Carlos D., van Eeuwijk, Fred, Tang, Tom, Truong, Sandra K., McCormick, Ryan F., Technow, Frank, Powell, Owen, Mayor, Laura, Gutterson, Neal, Jones, James W., Hammer, Graeme and Cooper, Mark (2022). Crop improvement for circular bioeconomy systems. Journal of the ASABE, 65 (3), 491-504. doi: 10.13031/ja.14912
2021
Journal Article
A linkage disequilibrium-based approach to position unmapped SNPs in crop species
Yadav, Seema, Ross, Elizabeth M., Aitken, Karen S., Hickey, Lee T., Powell, Owen, Wei, Xianming, Voss-Fels, Kai P. and Hayes, Ben J. (2021). A linkage disequilibrium-based approach to position unmapped SNPs in crop species. BMC Genomics, 22 (1) 773, 1-9. doi: 10.1186/s12864-021-08116-w
2021
Journal Article
Genomic evaluations using data recorded on smallholder dairy farms in low- to middle-income countries
Owen Powell, Raphael Mrode, R. Chris Gaynor, Martin Johnsson, Gregor Gorjanc and John M.Hickey (2021). Genomic evaluations using data recorded on smallholder dairy farms in low- to middle-income countries. JDS Communications, 2 (6), 366-370. doi: 10.3168/jdsc.2021-0092
2021
Other Outputs
Designing breeding programs in the genomic era
Owen Powell (2021). Designing breeding programs in the genomic era. PhD Thesis, The Roslin Institute, The University of Edinburgh . doi: 10.7488/era/1463
2021
Journal Article
Perspectives on applications of hierarchical gene-to-phenotype (G2P) maps to capture non-stationary effects of alleles in genomic prediction
Powell, Owen M., Voss-Fels, Kai P., Jordan, David R., Hammer, Graeme and Cooper, Mark (2021). Perspectives on applications of hierarchical gene-to-phenotype (G2P) maps to capture non-stationary effects of alleles in genomic prediction. Frontiers in Plant Science, 12 663565, 663565. doi: 10.3389/fpls.2021.663565/full
2021
Journal Article
Modelling selection response in plant breeding programs using crop models as mechanistic gene-to-phenotype (CGM-G2P) multi-trait link functions
Cooper, M., Powell, O., Voss-Fels, K. P., Messina, C. D., Gho, C., Podlich, D. W., Technow, F., Chapman, S. C., Beveridge, C. A., Ortiz-Barrientos, D. and Hammer, G. L. (2021). Modelling selection response in plant breeding programs using crop models as mechanistic gene-to-phenotype (CGM-G2P) multi-trait link functions. in silico Plants, 3 (1) diaa016, 1-21. doi: 10.1093/insilicoplants/diaa016
2020
Journal Article
Spatial modelling improves genetic evaluation in smallholder breeding programs
Selle, Maria L., Steinsland, Ingelin, Powell, Owen, Hickey, John M. and Gorjanc, Gregor (2020). Spatial modelling improves genetic evaluation in smallholder breeding programs. Genetics Selection Evolution, 52 (1) 69. doi: 10.1186/s12711-020-00588-w
2020
Conference Publication
A Two-Part Strategy for using Genomic Selection in Hybrid Crop Breeding Programs
Powell, Owen, Gaynor, Chris R., Gorjanc, Gregor, Werner, Christian and Hickey, John (2020). A Two-Part Strategy for using Genomic Selection in Hybrid Crop Breeding Programs. The 6th International Conference of Quantitative Genetics, Brisbane, QLD, Australia, 3-13 November 2020.
2020
Conference Publication
The impact of physiological non-additivity on variance components for complex traits
Voss-Fels, Kai, Powell, Owen, Jordan, David, Hammer, Graeme, Barbier, Francois, Werner, Christian, Hayes, Ben, Beveridge, Christine and Cooper, Mark (2020). The impact of physiological non-additivity on variance components for complex traits. The 6th International Conference on Quantitative Genetics, Brisbane, QLD Australia, 3-13 November 2020.
2020
Other Outputs
Breeding with an eye on genes for paddocks
Powell, Owen and Cooper, Mark (2020, 10 02). Breeding with an eye on genes for paddocks Groundcover
2020
Journal Article
A two-part strategy using genomic selection in hybrid crop breeding programs
Powell, Owen, Gaynor, R. Chris, Gorjanc, Gregor, Werner, Christian and Hickey, John (2020). A two-part strategy using genomic selection in hybrid crop breeding programs.
2020
Journal Article
In silico simulation of future hybrid performance to evaluate heterotic pool formation in a self-pollinating crop
Cowling, Wallace A., Gaynor, R. Chris, Antolin, Roberto, Gorjanc, Gregor, Edwards, Stefan M., Powell, Owen and Hickey, John M. (2020). In silico simulation of future hybrid performance to evaluate heterotic pool formation in a self-pollinating crop. Scientific Reports, 10 (1) 4037. doi: 10.1038/s41598-020-61031-0
Funding
Past funding
Supervision
Availability
- Dr Owen Powell is:
- Available for supervision
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Supervision history
Current supervision
-
Doctor Philosophy
Predicting Plant Success For Future Generations
Principal Advisor
Other advisors: Professor Mark Cooper
-
Doctor Philosophy
New approaches to maximise gain and genetic diversity in plant breeding programs
Associate Advisor
Other advisors: Professor Ben Hayes
-
Doctor Philosophy
Machine learning strategies to accelerate genetic gain in agricultural species
Associate Advisor
Other advisors: Dr Eric Dinglasan, Dr Elizabeth Ross, Professor Ben Hayes
-
Doctor Philosophy
Assessment of machine learning methods to discover novel models of gene networks to improve genomic prediction for plant breeding
Associate Advisor
Other advisors: Dr James Lefevre, Dr Melanie Wilkinson, Professor Mark Cooper
-
Doctor Philosophy
Genomic selection for finfish Breeding Programs
Associate Advisor
Other advisors: Professor Ben Hayes
-
Doctor Philosophy
Experimental investigation in Arabidopsis thaliana of realised selection trajectories for complex branching and flowering traits under the control of gene networks following application of genomic prediction methods.
Associate Advisor
Other advisors: Professor Christine Beveridge, Professor Mark Cooper
Completed supervision
-
2023
Doctor Philosophy
Optimising Genomic Selection for Sugarcane
Associate Advisor
Other advisors: Professor Lee Hickey, Dr Kai Voss-Fels, Dr Elizabeth Ross, Professor Ben Hayes
Media
Enquiries
Contact Dr Owen Powell directly for media enquiries about:
- Computational Biology
- Computer Simulations
- Data Science
- Genetics
- Plant Breeding
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